Source Code - 9 stars out of 10

Source Code - 9 stars out of 10

"Source Code" is entirely farfetched and yet, you won't question "how" because it is presented in such a believable manner.  Wow, this is an incredible mindbender.  After directing "Moon," director Duncan Jones needed an mind-bending story to raise the bar and he did so with success.  You might expect an "alternate reality storyline" reminiscent of "Donnie Darko" because of Jake Gyllenhaal's involvement in the film... and that would be an accurate expectation!  This is probably my favorite performance by Gyllenhaal, as I have never claimed to have been impressed by his dramatic acting in Brokeback Mountain and Brothers.  Vera Farmiga stands out as the best actor in this film, her clear blue eyes filled with emotion as her character is trapped in a heartwrenching dilemma.  Even though her screen time was far less than the other two leads, she is the one that made this viewing experience very memorable.  The thing that I love about this sort of sci-fi story is that it takes place in a real-world setting.  Elaborate fantasy costumes make me immediately think "Okay, this is unrealistic so let me prepare."  But any sort of military setting tends to be realistic as we acknowledge that in real life, we are unaware of the many advanced technologies that our govenment uses.  The story also impresses me because it is the same story 7 different times, and yet the plot continues to thicken, especially as we gain insight into the real-world fate of this soldier.  The pacing of the film is perfect as the action is balanced by the character's (and the audience's) thought process to solve this mystery.  The twist made me like this film.  The ending made me love it.  You will be confused and sit on the edge of skepticism for a large portion of the film, but it's worth it simply for these two plot twists that will leave you speechless as the end credits begin to roll.